Mozilla

Mark Surman: New Mozilla Foundation Executive Director

August 18th, 2008

I’m thrilled to announce that Mark Surman is joining the Mozilla Foundation as our new Executive Director. Mark joins us after a long period of getting to know — and being known by — Mozilla contributors. This includes many, many hours of discussions with Mozilla contributors, Mozilla Foundation Board members and search committee members, an Air Mozilla broadcast, extensive discussions with current Mozilla Foundation personnel, and more hours getting to know Mozilla at the Firefox Plus Summit. It’s a rare candidate who can transit such a prolonged and open process. Many thanks to everyone who participated.

A very special thanks go to Frank Hecker, who has served as our Executive Director since 2006. Frank has been a huge champion of extending Mozilla’s reach beyond our current scope, of using Mozilla DNA and values to do so, and of expanding the open web through programs like the accessibility initiative that he has implemented. We’re very fortunate that Frank will remain with the Mozilla Foundation and will continue to champion these and other projects central to the Mozilla identity.

Mark is wrapping up his work with the Shuttleworth Foundation and will join us officially on September 22. He’ll be thinking about Mozilla — you can find his thoughts at his blog. But Mark probably won’t be very active in the online Mozilla world for much of late August and September when he’s traveling with only limited time and access. Look for more in late September and October.

6 comments for “Mark Surman: New Mozilla Foundation Executive Director”

  1. 1

    Simon Paquet said on August 18th, 2008 at 1:54 pm:

    Mitchell, since I know that you’ve complained about the lack of comments on your blog in the past, it is my pleasure to congratulate you and the rest of the ED search committee on your choice.

    I had the chance to talk with Mark for quite some time during the Mozilla Summit and he’s a great guy and will surely do great things for the Mozilla Foundation.

    Thumbs up!

  2. 2

    Katrin Verclas said on August 18th, 2008 at 2:02 pm:

    Congratulations to us all! Mark is one of the most remarkable individuals I know. You all hit the jackpot with his appointment! I am thrilled, and so are many in the ICT for Development, and mobile-for-social-change worlds. Congrats to you, to Mark, and this vibrant and amazing community!

  3. 3

    Helen King said on August 19th, 2008 at 12:48 am:

    Whilst I am sad that Mark will be leaving us, I am thrilled that he is going onto such a wonderful challenge. We all want an open web, and he is definitely the best person for the job. I know you will enjoy working with him as much as we all have, both for the value he brings and the delightful humour with which he brings it.

  4. 4

    Pingback from Please welcome Mark Surman to Mozilla « Frank Hecker

    […] welcome Mark Surman to Mozilla August 19, 2008 As announced by Mitchell Baker earlier and followed up by Mark Surman, Mark will be coming on board in a month or so as the […]

  5. 5

    Trackback from OSZine

    Neuer Geschäftsführer bei der Mozilla Foundation…

    Mark Surman wird nach einer über einem Jahr dauernden Suche der neue Geschäftsführer der Mozilla Foundation.
    Lesezeichen erstellen/Beitrag suchen mit:…

  6. 6

    Pingback from Wechsel an der Spitze von Mozilla | OSNote

    […] Die Mozilla Foundation hat nach einjähriger Suche einen neuen Geschäftsführer ernannt. Mark Surman wird Frank Hecker am 22. September ablösen und die Stiftung nach außen vertreten. Surman arbeitet momentan bei der Shuttleworth Foundation und bei Telecentre.org. Hecker soll eine andere Position in der Stiftung übernehmen, so die Vorsitzende Mitchell Baker in ihrem Blog. […]

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